Birthday Wishes
by xOraclex
Summary: It's Dick Grayson's 16th Birthday tomorrow, and he's been dreading it. Every year, he has wanted to write a letter to Babs telling her how he feels, but hasn't for the past 4 years. This is the year that letter gets writen. Oneshot, DickBabs


**I did this in honor of Richard Jonathan Grayson's (Dick's) Birthday, the 21st of March. It is my very first song/story fanfic, based on the song, "Why don't you kiss her?" by Jesse McCartney. It was first going out as a Valentine's Day story, but since I couldn't submit it in time, I have created it as a _Birthday_ story. As always, it's DickBabs (In case you haven't read my other stories ;) **

**Once again: Dick's thoughts are in bold italics.**

**Birthday Wishes By: xOraclex**

**---**

_We're the best of friends_

_And we share our secrets_

_She knows everything_

_That is on my mind._

---

It was March 20th. The nightly prowl was almost over, the villain was behind bars, and Batman and his 2 sidekicks were in the Batmobile, silently riding home.

Barbara was the first to pip up. "Well, happy early Sweet Sixteen, BW."

"Thanks." He said, smirking embarrassingly.

"Can't believe it's that time again." said Bruce, now maskless, shaking his head. "Tomorrow, it'll be four years since you've been my foster son. And," he added, "Robin."

He pulled into the Batcave, and parked the car.

Once the three got stepped out into the batcave, Bruce announced, "Tomorrow is our day off, in honor of Dick's birthday!"

"Let's celebrate early!" said Babs, taking off her cowl.

"Like what?" said Dick, smiling at her.

"Well, what do we do every celebration?" Babs said, looking to him.

"Movie night!" they both said at the same time.

"Oh, boy. Here they go again." Bruce rolled his eyes.

"Come on!" said Babs anxiously, gabbing his hand and pulling him playfully to the elevator. He followed her as she led the way.

"So, what will we watch? Your pick." Barbara turned to Dick, once in the elevator.

"I dunno…" he looked up thoughtfully. "Hows about Lord of the Rings?"

"Ok."

Then there was a long and awkward silence.

**_Four years? I've known her…and liked her…for four years! Man, what will I do? Wait…I have to do something special…the letter…this year, I'll write it. I swear._**

The elevator door swept open, and Dick nearly had his hand pulled out of his socket by not paying attention.

"Earth to Planet Grayson!" laughed Babs. "Man, is your head in the clouds today!"

"Sorry." He blushed a deep shade of red. "I…wasn't paying attention."

He caught up to her, and lead her to his room.

She flopped on the couch as he started the DvD up. Alfred had came into the room as he was doing so. "And what can I get the Master and Mistress this evening?"

"Popcorn and sodas please, Alfie. Tab for me, and he'll take a Mountain Dew. Nothing diet. Put extra butter on the popcorn, please."

Dick smiled to himself. **_She knows me better than I know myself…_**

The movie was just starting up as Alfred came back to them with their "order" of food.

Dick and Babs scooted closer together to share the popcorn, yet they were still apart by a little bit. As the prologue battle scene opened, he felt Babs squirm a little, and scoot closer to him. She was always freaked out by blood. He chuckled, and put his arm around her shoulders for her comfort. She didn't say anything, just kept looking at the screen, but he could tell by the sparkle in her eyes that she liked it.

_**Seiously? Four YEARS? Wow. What about that letter? Hmm…it's only 6:30…I'll have time after she leaves.**_

The movie was long, he could tell Babs was getting tired, as she leaned up against his shoulder and closed her eyes.

_**She can look so…cute when she does this. What if—**_

_**No. She thinks we're only best friends. Nothing more.**_

_**Which is why it's so hard to tell her the truth!**_

---

_Lately, something's change as I lie awake in my bed,_

_A voice here inside my head,_

_Softly says,_

---

Dick felt his ego drop.

_**Dick and Babs…best friends for life.**_

_**Nothing more.**_

_**Never.**_

_**The End.**_

_**My life is an endless fairytale. Unless…what if I…? No, crazy, Grayson. She'd pull away for sure. But…**_

---

_Why don't you kiss her?_

_Why don't you tell her?_

_Why don't you let her see_

_The feelings that you hide?_

'_Cuz she'll never know_

_If you never show_

_The way you feel inside._

---

The movie was almost over, it was 9:30. The credits rolled, and Babs looked over at Dick and smiled. He weakly smiled back. **_You're such a loser, Grayson. You didn't even try. _**

---

_Oh, I'm so afraid,_

_To make that first move._

_Just a touch and we_

_Could cross the line._

_Every time she's near, _

_I wanna never let her go,_

_Confess to her what my heart knows,_

_Hold her close._

---

The walked don't slowly, with Babs chatting a mile a minute. Dick half listened, but mostly just mentally kicked himself for not doing anything to show Babs he liked her. Mostly, he just liked to hear her voice.

They reached the doorway. He opened it for her.

"Well, thanks for the movie, Mr. Grayson."

"Sure." **_Very intelligent, Grayson. I'm so impressed! Here you are standing next to the girl you've liked since you were 12, and all you can say is "sure."_**

"I gotta go, Pops is going to blow his cork if I get home late."

"Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow."

The hugged. "Have a great day tomorrow."

"Bye—"

Then, Barbara Gordon did something that shocked him. She leaned over, and gave him a friendly kiss on the cheek before leaving. His eyes widened in disbelief, as she waved goodbye, his arm in mid wave back at her. He closed the door, tenderly feeling the area where her lips once were.

_**Wait…did she just?...My—me…? That letter is so getting written!**_

---

_Why don't you kiss her?_

_Why don't you tell her?_

_Why don't you let her see_

_The feelings that you hide?_

'_Cuz she'll never know_

_If you never show_

_The way you feel inside._

---

He knew she had just meant to be friendly. I mean, come on, they had been friends for four years now. He went back up to his room.

---

_What would ya say?_

_I wonder,_

_Would she just turn away?_

_Or would she promise me that she's here to stay,_

_It hurts me to wait._

_I keep asking myself_

_Why don't you kiss her?_

---

He plopped on the bed with a sigh, starring at the ceiling with his hands behind his back. He turned over on his side, glancing at all the pictures on his wall.

So many memories. They were all right there in front of him. Newspaper clippings, pictures of him, Bruce, his parents: the flying Graysons, and him and Babs.

Them giving each other bunny ears.

Laughing, joking, having so much fun in each other's company.

Then, it hit him.

Tomorrow was his sixteenth birthday.

Crap.

This was the one day of the year he loved and dreaded.

Of course, there would be cake and presents and Bruce and Alfred and… Babs.

He became one year older, yet he always seemed to look and feel the same. But one thing was for sure: His feelings for Barbara Gordon were just plain irreversible and unchangable.

Barbara. Good ol' Babs. He was sad to realize _she _was the reason he dreaded his birthday. Every year since he was a twelve year old, when he first became Robin, he promised to himself that he would write a letter to her showing his true feelings towards her. Yet, he had chickened out of it for the past four years.

---

_Why don't you tell her?_

_Why don't you let her see_

_The feelings that you hide?_

'_Cuz she'll never know_

_if you never show_

_the way you feel inside._

---

Would the truth ever be reveled? **_Well, this is the year that letter gets written!_**

He got up from the bed, and went to the desk, pulling out a clean sheet of paper and a newly sharpened pencil. **_I'm going to do this! Now…where to start?_**

He stared blankly at the paper. On the eve of his fifteenth birthday, he had gotten this far,

But ended up going to bed with that same blank paper and mind.

_**I hope I can write at least a sentence or two this year.**_

He took a deep breath, and started writing.

**Dear Barbara,**

_**Wait…maybe that's too formal. How about…**_

**Dear Babs,**

_**Yes, that sounds right. What next?**_

**We've been friends for a real long time, and it's about time I tell you how I feel.**

_**No…that's getting to the point too quickly!**_

He crumpled up that letter, and tossed it into his empty trashcan. After the next hour, his trashcan was full of crumpled up balls of paper. A few times he stopped in frustration, but after a little while, kept on going. With every stroke of his pen, he got closer and closer to his goal. He noticed he didn't crumple up the sheet he was now working on. It didn't go to the trash. It stayed right under his pen.

It was 11:00 when he finally finished it. After a lot of thought, he finally found the words aching in his heart for so long. He planned on giving it to her in the morning.

**Dear Babs,**

**Today is my sixteenth birthday. I love today, it makes me feel older, yet, younger, at the same time. Of course like any birthday there will be cake and presents, and everyone I know. But this birthday is something special, because it is finally the year I got the guts to writ this to you.**

**I have been Robin for four years, Babs. _Four years! _We've known each other for four whole years. I can barely believe it. Time goes by when you're having fun, right?**

**Alfred and Bruce have been like fathers to me. They help me, care for me, catch me when I fall. But you? Well…**

**We've been friends for so long, you know? You know everything that's on my mind. Well, almost everything. We share secrets, and have fun together, like any friends would.**

**The truth is, you're my best friend. I don't know what I'd do without you.**

**At least, you still are, but there's something that I'm not telling you. It's been hiding inside me, a little more every year. The first year I became Robin, it was only a small spark. That spark has become bigger and bigger inside me, every year even more, until it's a blazing fire.**

**Every time you're around, I feel excited and terrified at the same time, Well, something has changed inside me. So you'll never know unless I tell you. **

**OK, I guess the simplest way to say this is**

**I should love you like a sister.**

**But**

**I**

**Don't.**

**Never have.**

**And never will.**

** I love you.**

**There.**

**I said it.**

**So, the big question is**

**Do you like me the same way?**

**If not, it's OK. I just needed to tell you this. It's been inside me for so long, and now it's out in the open. Where it belongs. All I'm asking is that you think about it.**

**Dick**

His hands were shaking as he went down to the Batcave and placed it by her Batgirl uniform. He went back to his room, checking every now and then behind his shoulder, making sure Alfred or Bruce didn't see him.

As soon as he was safely in his room with the door closed and locked, he sighed in relief and closed his eyes, sinking down right where he was, leaning up against the door. His head leaned back, brushing against the smooth wood. **_I did it. I finally did it._**

He sleepily went to his bed, and slipped under his warm bed sheets.

---

The clock read 10:30. He panicked, realizing how late it was. Then he remembered.

Today was his birthday.

He slumped back on the bed, relaxed. Alfred always called this day his "holiday" and that home school tuition was canceled today. He also had a day off from Robin today.

The wafting smell of warm waffles filled the room as he inhaled deeply. A tray of them smothered in butter and sticky syrup was on his nightstand, along with orange juice and a card that said "Happy Birthday" written carefully in legible cursive.

Dick smiled. Alfred. That was another tradition in the Wayne Manor for birthdays: Breakfast in bed.

As soon as all the waffles were devoured and the orange juice was drank dry, he pressed his head to the pillow and thought about going to sleep again.

He was half dozed when he heard footsteps in the hallway. The feet stopped right in front of the door, but didn't go in.

He heard the crinkling of paper as a thin piece of it slipped under his doorway. He didn't say anything, but waited until he had heard the feet leave.

He tiptoed out of bed, picking up the paper that was just delivered. Instantly, even before he opened it, he knew it was form Babs.

Right smack dab in the center, she had written him a note.

_Dear Dick,_

_That was really sweet. _

_Thanks._

_I have been waiting for you to tell me._

_By the way the answer is _

_YES._

_Happy Birthday, Boy Wonder._

_Love,_

_Your Barbara_

**_Happy B-Day, Robin! _**


End file.
